Across the Boundaries of Time
by aussiebabe290
Summary: Some friendships last only moments, some last a lifetime. Theirs was one that was able to survive the boundaries of time. Sequel to 'Back to Blue Water'. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is. The sequel to 'Back to Blue Water'. Updates will probably not be as frequent, but its out there. Please read and review!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

As small children, the person who shared their coloured pencils with you was immediately your 'best friend', and stayed that way for the duration of the lesson. As teenagers, the person who told someone who you had a crush on was suddenly your sworn enemy. Friendships could strike at the strangest times, and it was those friendships that you hold closest to your heart, the ones who are there for you when no one else in the world is.

The Solar Blue Surf Academy class of 2005 had friendships like that. Anna, Bec, Edge, Fly, Heath, Matt and Perri lived together for twelve months, sharing rooms and sharing their lives. Never in a million years did they think they would ever be friends- they were complete opposites, in everything. Bec and Perri, for example? They shared a room, and they loved each other, but every single morning they fought over who got to use the bathroom first. Within a week, the boys were keeping a tally, making it a regular joke. And the boys? Matt was neutral territory, but Heath and Edge fought over absolutely everything. It was amazing that they ever found something to talk about- they couldn't be more different. Anna and Fly got on as friends, but their playful banter was what got the other kids through the day.

They thought they would be friends forever.

But, Edge had told them otherwise. As they reminisced in the pool room, as their twelve months together slowly came to an end, he told them that their friendship was purely fishbowl. He told them that, if they weren't living together, twenty four seven, they would not be friends.

The other teenagers had scoffed and told him that it was not true- nothing could stop them being friends.

On their last day together, they were up as the sun rose over Blue Water Beach, holding hands and stepping into the future together, as a big group. A big group that nothing could separate.

But yet, it didn't surprise each other when the group began to drift apart, taking their own stands in the world.

The seven teenagers hadn't spoken in eight years.

They thought of each other often. Fly, while she surfed on the pro circuit. Heath, while he took photos of anything and everything. Edge, while he worked at his gym, helping fitness levels increase. Perri, as she modelled for magazines and sang in studios. Matt, while he cradled his little girl in his arms. Anna, while she packed her bags to make the move from Germany to Australia permanently. And Bec, while she looked after her own group of Solar Blue intakes, her own group of teenagers. They were constantly at the back of each others' minds, but it wasn't until Anna phoned Bec that something was done about it.

Bec Sanderson was always the unofficial leader of their little group. She was the local, the girl who had grown up surfing the waves of Blue Water Beach. What she told them, they listened to. She sent around an email, to their old addresses, hoping she'd get some sort of reply. She did, and when she did, she pulled a long weekend out of the calendar, naming it the weekend they would reunite, after eight years.

And that was a weekend like no other. They had talked and reminisced over the good times that had been had in that very house- and of course, despite being the middle of winter, they went surfing. Their old coaches returned especially, and they were so ecstatically happy they were together again.

When it came time for their departure, they were wary. Would it be another eight years before they saw each other again? Would they ever talk?

No, it wasn't eight years, and yes, they would talk. The seven kept in contact, and Matt even ventured from Sydney to Melbourne, bringing his daughter to Blue Water Beach. The seven were not teenagers any more, and so much had changed. They had missed out on so much of their friends' lives, but they were determined not to miss any more. Bec had the whole Solar Blue boarding house, full of plenty of spare rooms for when they decided to pop by. Perri doted over Matt's daughter- and no one was sure what was going on between Fly and Heath. He seemed to be stalking her, everywhere she went- but she didn't mind. Edge was so different to the boy they had known inside the academy- he was so sweet. And Anna? Well, she had fallen in love, again, with Bec's twin brother.

That was a year ago. It was a year ago that they were reunited in Blue Water, and a year ago that they had first fallen into each others' arms, hugging them like they would never let go.

The future was unsure for the group of seven...

But they still had two weeks together, before the summer holidays sent them back to their homes, back to their lives.

And they were going to enjoy every moment of it.

Some friendships last moments, but this was one that would last a lifetime.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry for the lack of updates- but I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. I'm open for suggestions! Read and review, **

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"You know, Heath, some would say you're a stalker", Fly Watson called from her bathroom, as she tied her thick blonde hair into a ponytail. Heath Carroll just smiled from his place on her lounge, enjoying the flat screen television in front of him, and the view from her window.

"Yeah, and some would say you love me", he retorted. "You say neither is true".

"Liar!" Fly yelped. "I do love you, Heath. In a completely non sexual way, so don't even think about making any jokes".

"And I love you, Fly. Jokes were there, but you killed the moment". He sighed heavily, Fly emitting a laugh from her lips. "Hey, how come you don't have Foxtel on this thing?"

"Because I'm not home often enough to watch it".

"But I am!"

"Because you're a stalker!" Fly located a clip lock bag of bobby pins in her drawer, and stuffed them into her bathroom bag.

"Why do all our conversations go around in circles?" Heath wanted to know.

"Why do you make them go around in circles?"

The two were quite obviously more than friends, when they were teenagers. Heath and Fly were each others' first true loves, and each would hold a piece of their heart for the opposite. But now, they were just friends. They had shared heat of the moment kisses, but there was nothing serious to write home about.

But, maybe- possibly- their visit to Blue Water Beach would change that. Blue Water Beach had played a big part in their teenage lives, and they hoped it would stay there for years to come.

* * *

"Come on!" Matt Leyland positively begged, grabbing his three year old daughter and turning her around to face him. "Come on, we can't go until you're wearing shoes! What's Grandma gonna say when you turn up barefoot?"

"No!" Tahlia insisted, pulling away from her father.

Matt sighed. "You're making me sad, Tali".

"No!" she squealed, running down the hallway yet again. 'No' seemed to be her favourite word, much to Matt's disgust.

When he was a teenager, he never saw himself as a single father to a mischievous, cheeky three year old. But when his daughter's mother left the infant when she was only weeks old, Matt had no choice. He loved his princess more than anyone, but wished that sometimes she would co-operate.

"Do you want me to tell Aunty Perri how naughty you've been?" he threatened, hating himself for it. Tahlia had an unexplainable obsession with Matt's former flame, and one of his best friends. Perri was the one friend he could tell everything, without her judging him. And she doted over the little girl as much as Matt did.

Tahlia's face turned ghostly pale, as the rough and tumble girly girl ran towards her father. "No, Daddy!" she squawked, throwing herself down in front of him. "I be good, pwomise!"

"Are you sure?" Matt asked seriously, smiling though the facade.

"No tell Aunty Pe-wi!" Tahlia protested.

"Okay". Matt took the small sandal and strapped it to her feet. He would be spending the next two weeks with his friends- and somehow, that would work to his advantage. Tahlia loved the girls as much as they loved her- and she always listened to what they said.

"Okay, monkey girl", Matt laughed, swinging the little girl into his arms. "Let's get this show on the road, hey? Let's go and see Grandma!"

She nodded animatedly. "Let's go!"

* * *

Perri Lawe ran a finger over the rough skin that was the remnants of a scar, tossing a tube of sunscreen into her almost full suitcase. Shuddering of the thought of her past, she added a box of chocolates (for their late night snack sessions- the typical pig out food), zipping the case up. She was finally ready for Blue Water Beach, and the adventures that would follow. She couldn't wait to be back on the sand, the wind blowing back her hair- she couldn't wait to be with her friends again.

It was her friends that she trusted to tell about her past- they knew her better than anyone, and they didn't judge her.

The group of seven had been there for each other during the hardest times of the year, and she loved them no end. She loved the fact that everyone turned out so differently to how she imagined, and she loved the fact that the distance had helped them grow closer. With some people, the distance made them grow apart.

"Not us", Perri said aloud, lifting her suitcase off the bed and reaching for her handbag- she had a long drive in front of her.

* * *

"You're going to spend two weeks with my sister and leave me here all by myself?" Joe Sanderson pouted.

Anna Peterson smiled at his cuteness. "It's not like you'll be alone, Joe".

"Don't worry, Annie, the dog will keep me company", Joe drawled sarcastically.

Anna folded her favourite jacket, adding it to the top of her suitcase. Tossing in a tube of sunscreen, she zipped the case up, facing her boyfriend and friend. "The dog will keep you company", she nodded. "Don't forget to feed it, okay?"

"I won't".

Anna reached for the bag of junk food that she had stocked up on at the supermarket the day before. "I'll call you, alright?"

"I love you".

"Love you", Joe echoed, hauling the suitcase down to where Anna's little car was waiting.

As much as she would miss Joe, Anna couldn't wipe the goofy grin off her face. She was going back to Blue Water!

* * *

Dean 'Edge' Edgely was satisfied. His family were gone, the decorations were down, and his bag was packed, ready for the journey to Blue Water. His family had asked a trillion and one questions about the holiday- where were they going, what were they doing, and when would he be back. The usual family questions- and Edge had answered to the best of his ability. He loved the Christmas holidays. He got the time off work he desperately craved, and was allowed to do whatever he wanted.

And this particular holiday, he wanted to venture to Blue Water with his friends.

Tossing his bag into the back seat of his car, he started the engine.

That was exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

The Solar Blue boarding house was quiet- abnormally quiet, Bec Sanderson observed. During the year, the only time there was silence was when the kids were sleeping. But in between the break she got, without kids, the big house seemed bigger and scarier than normal. So, she kept as many lights on as she could, and kept the doors closed.

She had a three week period without kids in the year- from a week before Christmas to two weeks into January. Two weeks of that time would be dedicated to spending time with her own Solar Blue friends. Garry Miller, her usual housemate, had taken his now-fiancé Ashleigh to his little hometown, and was planning on arriving three days before the kids were due. That left Bec with the big house, all to herself.

Their get-together had been in the planning for three months. They had planned to get the time off work- if they didn't already- and make the journey to Blue Water. Where they went from there, they were uncertain. Maybe they would go camping, like they had done many times as sixteen year olds. Maybe they would drive to another beach, stay in a hotel.

Or, maybe, they would stay in Blue Water.

It didn't really matter, what they did. They would be together, and that was the important thing.


	3. Chapter 3

**I know I'm incredibly slack and I know this is incredibly short, but I've been busy. I'll try to get new chapters out soon! Read and review!**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

When they were first reunited, a year ago, they weren't sure how they were going to be together. Would it be awkward, would they find things to talk about? It had never been less awkward, and they talked the entire night, reminiscing over their teenage years that they had spent in each others' company. All the good times they had had together, they had talked about every single one. Even though it had been eight years since they were together, life was good.

And they knew nothing would ever separate them again.

"Wow", Anna observed, looking around the lounge room.

"I know", Bec murmured, taking in the scene.

"Look at us", Fly added.

Nothing had changed, since their teenage years. And then, in comparison, everything had changed. But there would never be a time where they wouldn't feel comfortable sitting around the Solar Blue boarding house coffee table. Heath was nibbling on a Tim Tam, and Perri was tipping a bag of French Fries into a bowl. It was so similar to when they were sixteen- and yet the wine that Edge was pouring and the beer that Matt was handing around proved that they had grown up.

They had grown up, sure, but they would always be the sixteen year olds, riding the waves of Blue Water Beach at heart.


	4. Chapter 4

**Read and review, **

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

It didn't matter how often they escaped to the complexities of life to the serenity of Blue Water, it still amazed them. It didn't matter how many times they stepped into the safety of the Solar Blue boarding house, they were overrun with memories.

"_Rise and shine, my little jelly babies!" _

"_Mr and Mrs Great White!" _

"_Check out this photo!" _

"_No! We are not listening to that!" _

"_When you said you needed the bathroom, I didn't think you meant the girls' bathroom! Come on!" _

"_Who's ready for our night time ritual pool game?" _

"_Solar Blue is a dream". _

"_Stupid vacuum!" _

"_Let's go down and give her the support we need"._

Bec, stroking back Fly's hair out of her face, was overcome by memories every single day. Living in the same house as they had as sixteen year olds was not part of her original plan- but granted, none of them lived by their original plan any more. She had never imagined herself to be back at Solar Blue, as she was sure Edge never imagined giving up the pro circuit so young. Fly and Heath were the only ones living the dream- in denial about their true feelings for each other. Anna had moved on from Joe, once she finished life as a sixteen year old, but had found herself falling for him once more upon returning to Blue Water. Matt, a single father to a gorgeous little girl was a teacher and not a marine biologist or pro surfer like he had intended. And Perri? Returning to Blue Water had been just the thing she needed to clear her head, free of all the drama Jai had created in her life.

They had come from all over the place, as sixteen year olds, to spend twelve months surfing the seas of Blue Water and beyond. King Island, Margaret River, Germany... none of them were the same. But, despite the distances they had travelled, Blue Water Beach was their true home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to amandajbruce for giving me the inspiration to continue! Read and review, **

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

"Let's go camping", Perri whispered into the darkness, as she lay there in her bed.

Bec broke into a giggle- she never thought she'd hear her very girly teenage roommate say those words. "What?"

"Are you serious?" Fly wanted to know.

"It'll be just like old times", Anna said confidently.

Camping had been a big part of their lives, when they were students. Quite often, when they went away for weekend competitions, they camped under the stars, occasionally roasting marshmallows by the campfire (although marshmallows were hardly on Jilly's list of healthy food. She was more for brown rice and broccoli). It was cheesy, but they all seven of them loved- even if they wouldn't admit it- sitting under the stars, in the fresh air, away from the noises of the big city. Fly in particular had loved it- growing up in a farm in Western Australia, it took a lot of adjusting to get used to the loud noises and lights of Sydney.

But then again, when she went home, she almost missed it.

"Sounds like a plan", Bec yawned suddenly, resting her head on the pillow. "Good night".

"Announcement!" Heath bellowed, as one by one, they made their way down the stairs. "Hey, big announcement, everybody! The boys and I have discussed it, and we've come to a decision!"

"We're going camping", Bec cut him off.

"Spoilsport", Edge grumbled.

Heath's face drooped. "What? But that was our idea?"

"Perri brought it up last night-"

Bec was very rudely interrupted by hysterical laughter from all three boys.

"Excuse me?" Perri fixed them with icy glares, silencing them almost immediately.

"Sorry", Matt snickered.

"Let's go camping", Fly said enthusiastically.

And with that, it was decided.

The original Solar Blue gang were going camping.


	6. Chapter 6

**Read and review!**

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

An hour and a half later, the seven were packed and ready to go. Camping had been a big part of their lives, as sixteen year olds- Simmo and Deb would load them into the vans, opting to camp for away competitions rather than book a motel room.

The destination they had chosen was one they remembered quite vividly- Simmo's plan to unsettle the girls. He hadn't told them, but it was obvious. They were all very comfortable where they were sitting on the score charts, and Simmo thought it was about time for fresh competition.

But what he hadn't counted on was Deb backing out. He had protested firmly, telling her that he couldn't possible take care of seven love struck teenagers by himself, but she had stood his ground.

It had taken seven hours to get there, in the end. Two stops for petrol, one for supplies, and three for Edge to throw up on the side of the road.

"Ready to go?" Matt checked, positioning him in front of the steering wheel.

"You can't drive!" Heath objected.

"That hurt".

"You don't know how to handle the beast", Bec explained, a smile on her face. "Believe it or not, it's even harder to control than before".

"Where's the spew bucket?" Perri giggled, her eyes twinkling at Edge.

Edge glared, a slightly pink tinge to his cheeks. "It was Simmo's driving, he spent more time looking at us than he did looking at the road!"

"If Heath would have let go of Fly's hand, maybe he would have looked at the road!" Anna shot back.

But, in the end, Bec gave in, and Matt started up the van. Backing out of the driveway (with quite a lot of difficulty), he steered the orange and white vehicle away from the Solar Blue boarding house.

"We have got everything, right?" Bec checked, turning around in the passenger seat to face her friends.

It was almost as if they were sixteen again. While Matt had taken over Simmo's seat in the driver's seat, and Bec had resumed Deb's seat in the passenger side (it had been her seat since she had taken on the job as head of Solar Blue). Almost a decade earlier, Heath, Fly and Matt would sit directly behind them, while Edge, Bec, Anna and Perri would swap between the next row of seats and the two seats facing backwards (but more often or not, they would put up with the squeeze). However, on that particular camping trip, Edge had taken to leaning against the window of the passenger seat, pale beneath his tan, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"Hey Edge, remember the competition?" Heath said cheerfully, after Bec had smacked his hand away from the radio for the fourth time.

"Shut up mate", Edge said quickly, as Perri exploded into laughter. "Well, Perri, I'm glad you can see the humour!"

"I don't hold onto grudges, man". Perri offered him a smile and Edge relaxed. The infamous 'soaping of the board' incident was one brought up just to send Edge into silence- that incident had been the one to knock Perri out of the regionals competition.

"Is this really going to take seven hours?" Anna spoke up.

"If Matt keeps driving like an old lady it will", Fly told them. "Come on, Mattie, step on it!"

"I don't drive like an old lady!" Matt defended, glaring at Fly in the rear view mirror.

"Speed it up, Matt", Anna called.

"Do you want to drive, Anna?"

"We might actually get there sometime today, if Anna drove", Edge chuckled.

Matt prepared himself to pull over and Bec let out a shriek. "No!"

"What?" Fly panicked.

With a straight face, Bec told them what had caused the scream. "There's always the chance that once this thing stops, we won't be able to start it again. The kids think it's funny, but it's really not. Causes me and Garry a fair amount of stress".

Heath let out a hearty laugh, and Bec stared at him until he sobered up. The Solar Blue van had been a huge part of their lives- dripping in and out, salt water and sand falling out of their cossies and board shorts, sitting on towels throughout the whole year. Their seats had been permanent, as they squeezed into the backseats. But, come the end of the year, they were climbing into the backseats of the van, wearing suits and pulling their dresses in behind them, the smell of salt water lingering.

Angus had offered numerous times, to replace the Solar Blue van with a newer model, but Bec had stuck to her guns and, while she had thanked him for the offer, had refused. While Garry didn't truly understand the sentimental value of the rundown old van, he knew that the kids liked it and it fitted the whole group without any trouble.

"It's a beast", Heath chuckled.

"Even worse than your car?" Fly offered.

"Harsh words, Watson". Heath's eyes twinkled, and Fly rested her head on his shoulder, smiling.

* * *

"We're here!" Bec announced, the familiar campground coming into sight.

"Finally!" Heath exploded, sliding open the door and tumbling out, pulling Fly with him.

"Aw, the caravan's still there!" Edge said cheerfully.

"Tent, Edge". Opening the back of the van, Bec threw a tent bag towards him and with a grunt, Edge caught it.

"Thanks, Bec".

Matt was chuckling, as he unloaded the other tent bag. "Remember the pilchards?"

Edge groaned. "Thanks for bringing that one up, mate".

After the infamous chess game between Edge and Matt (that Matt had insisted move into the van, and Heath had been in charge of watching for illegal moves) where Matt had received a bishop to the eye, he had filled Edge's sleeping bag with pilchards.

"More than welcome".

Fly rolled out a tub and a gas bottle, standing back to admire her handiwork. She had especially loved their camping trips, growing up on a farm. When she came to Sydney as part of the Solar Blue seven, she found herself tossing and turning until all hours of the night, the city noises making it almost impossible to sleep. She had often compared the city sky to looking at the moon through your lounge room window- you saw it, but you didn't see it properly. The stars and the pitch black sky provided a home comfort, one she was only given when they went camping.

"Home sweet home", Perri mumbled, tipping the canvas and poles out of the bag, falling to a mess at her feet. With some difficulty, she and Anna were able to untangle everything ("Anyone would think these haven't been used since we were here last time, Bec!" "Oh shut up"), while Bec and Edge unloaded the car.

As the afternoon lingered on, they were acquainted with their sixteen year old selves. The gas was lit and sausages sizzled in the frypan, while Perri lit the citronella candles (if possible, the mosquitoes were even worse than they had been when they were sixteen). Their tents were standing, the van was unpacked, and they were ready for the camping trip of a lifetime.

They were unsure how it was going to turn out, as they ate sausages wedged in slices of white bread, dripping in tomato sauce. But they were together, and as long as they stayed like that, everything was going to be alright.


	7. Chapter 7

**Happy fiftieth anniversary to my amazingly awesome grandparents! Read and review,**  
**Rhyleigh xoxox  
PS: The next chapter is where there is some action... brace yourselves, guys, its not going to be an easy ride!**

* * *

Slowly but surely, as the sun rose over the horizon, the Solar Blue seven emerged from their tents, yawning hugely, sitting themselves around the cold fire. That particular morning was slightly chilly, for that time of the year, as it was discussed with sleepy eyes.

"Come on, let's go down to the beach", Fly told them, as Edge crucified bacon and Matt fried eggs. "You can hear the swell from here!"

That was what she loved best about the Solar Blue house- and their campgrounds. They were right on the beach, and from her bedroom window (or through the thin walls of the tent), she could hear the waves gently crashing on the shore, lulling her to sleep. Sydney had been her worst nightmare- the night time noises keeping her awake all hours- but the waves were her calm in the storm.

"After breakfast, little Fly", Matt promised, a grin on his face. It had been Fly's most hated nickname, but she had grown to love it. The youngest and the smallest, everyone looked out for her, like she needed protecting.

Breakfast was a quiet occasion, as they chewed in silence, relishing in the memories. Simmo sitting on his camp chair, telling stories of absolutely nothing, as they sat there, pretending to listen. The girls' regionals competition that had gone down quite infamously, leaving the boys sheepish. And of course, the drive home, where Simmo had sang cheerfully to his seven sullen teenagers (swearing to Deb, upon arrival in Blue Water, that never was he attempting a road trip without backup again- and he had stayed true to that promise).

Wearing nothing but cossies and board shorts and clutching their surf boards, the group of seven moved slowly down to the sand, taking in the new break, as they did nearly a decade ago.

"Mr and Mrs Great White?" Heath's eyes sparkled, as Edge shot daggers his way.

"Shut up, Heath".

They took off towards the surf, laughing hysterically the whole time. Getting used to a new break was their favourite part of surfing- Blue Water Beach, for example. For everyone except Bec, the break was completely knew to them, the one they'd be surfing for twelve months of their lives. So they spent the first afternoon- and the first morning- paddling around in the surf, running through the chilly morning water. Giggling and laughing, as they explored their new home for the first time.

Despite the arguments and fights that had taken place in the Solar Blue boarding house and beyond, they were friends. Friends that one could call in the middle of the night, sobbing their eyes out, and the one on the other end would listen intently, despite the early hours. The kind of friends that would tease gently, not meaning a thing of it. the kind of friends that had a history, a history that could not be explained.

The first three hours of their day was spent paddling out into the surf, riding a wave and nosediving off their boards, looking no older than they had when they were sixteen.

Heading back to the sand, panting heavily, Anna could swear she could still see the infamous, multicoloured rash shirts that they wore. Bec in purple, Fly in yellow, Perri in pink and her own white shirt. Heath in blue, Matt in orange and Edge wearing black. For the first few weeks, when Simmo first started referring to them as 'jelly babies', Anna was convinced it was because of their shirts. Multicoloured, like a bag of Allen's jelly babies. But no, he had told them, it was because they were all different and unique- much like a bag of jelly babies. It was a name they wore with pride.

Falling onto the sand, panting heavily, they looked up into the clouds, Heath calling out the random shapes he could spy, thinking back on the past.

It didn't matter how often they were reunited and how many memories were stirred into the air, there were just some things that we best left in the past. The romance between Bec and Edge- she would deny it, but there was still a certain amount of chemistry between them. Perri and Matt- the sparks that had flown between them had been extinguished, but they cared for each other then just as much as they had nine years earlier. Heath and Fly were still the adorable couple they had been almost a decade before, but without the romance. Teasing each other gently, Heath was the first to defend the tiny blonde. And Anna and Joe?

Well, they were a couple, period.

Something was going to happen, that camping escape. They had no idea what, but the possibility was floating in the air. And no Solar Blue event was possible without an event of some sort.


	8. Chapter 8

**It seems my muse is back! Read and review and hopefully I'll update before my muse disappears once more... ejoy, and be sure to leave me some feedback!**  
**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

The days passed, without really knowing the date. It had been Saturday, but after blinking, it was Tuesday. All they knew was that Bec's mobile had been programmed to start ringing the day before they had to leave- a prospect that none of them found endearing.

They felt most at home at the beach- and that little camping spot was theirs. A minute's walk from the beach, surrounded by the serenity the city didn't offer. In Heath's own words, it was their 'Bonnie Doon'.

"Where are you off to?" Matt yawned, as Edge tossed bottles of water into his backpack.

"Bec and I are going for a bushwalk", he said cheerfully.

"But it's so hot!"

The Australian summer had well and truly settled, hovering over the group like an electric blanket. They had spent the days swapping between togs and their sleeping bags, as they ran from their campsite to the water and back again. Winding down at night had been sitting around the fire they would build, talking, laughing, playing cards, charades and even hauling out the Scrabble board (a game that had been their thing since first arriving in Blue Water all those years ago).

But that day called for nothing more but lying around, eyes lead lined.

"No time like the present". Bec grinned at them, Perri winking at her. "If we're not back before dark, send out the search and rescue".

"That's not funny, Bec", Anna said quickly- it indeed had been the brunette who had been the most scared, when it came to sending the SOS team out to find Bec. She had cried herself to sleep, being unable to eat, and had smacked Edge with all the strength she could muster when he returned.

"Sorry. But we'll be back", she assured them, smearing sunscreen across her lightly freckled nose. "Don't pack up and move while we're gone".

"That sounds like a plan", Heath mumbled from underneath his hat. "Quick, Fly, get the eskies, Matt can take down the tents".

"Lazy arse". Matt reached over to smack him with the tongs sitting on the top of the esky.

"Bye!"

"Perfect bushfire weather", Matt murmured, glancing at the thermometer hanging off the rear view mirror. "It's almost forty degrees".

"They've got brains", Perri yawned. "I'm going down to the beach, anyone want to join me?"

"I will", Fly volunteered, tugging her tank top over her braid.

* * *

Australian summers were notorious for their wild weather- while it could be scorching hot one day, dry heat lingering in the air, it could be cold enough to put on jumpers and track pants the next, rain thundering on the roofs. The natural disasters of summer 2011 were perfect proof- while Victoria was ablaze, Queensland was underwater.

But it was the storms that were the worst- they were capable of starting bushfires.

So they understood Matt's concern when the sky began to darken.

"Where's Bec and Edge?" Anna wanted to know, as she brushed her blonde hair, easing the comb through the tangles (all four girls had tried their best to wash the salt and sand out of their hair, but with only camp showers and salt water available to them, they found their locks slowly crusting with salt).

"They haven't come back yet", Heath said from his spot, stretched across the grass. He had been lying there for the majority of the afternoon, having caught all the best waves in the morning.

"Do you think they're okay?" Perri questioned, poking her head out from the tent.

"They're Bec and Edge". Fly rolled her eyes. "They'll be fine".

While they were notorious for their argumentative nature (their nights in the kitchen had been absolute proof of that), but they got along well (in their own way), and were the two most level-headed people in a crisis.

But a crack of thunder made Heath's ears perk up.

Beach storms were both terrifying and amazing to watch. The lightning would bounce off the water, creating brilliant light, the thunder adding to the effect. More often than not, the seven would gather in the upstairs spare room window, the perfect view of the beach.

But they were a lot closer to nature than they were in the upstairs spare room.

As huge drops of rain began to plop down, Matt moved as fast as he could to shove the eskies into the van, Heath and the girls following suite. The rain was coming down at an alarmingly fast pace, like fat water balloons bursting on the tops of their heads. As thunder growled in the distance and lightning flashed, they made their ways into the tents, zipping up the flaps tight.

"Where the hell are Bec and Edge?" Fly wanted to know, shivering as the thick air took on a chill. It only made sense, really, to have a storm- it had been the perfect summer. They had woken up to the kookaburras laughing, sunshine greeting them, every single morning.

"They'll be alright", Perri assured her, not able to shake the niggling feeling in the back of her mind.

"Where are Bec and Edge?" Heath asked Matt, and the latter shrugged in response.

"No idea- but they're not stupid".

The storm roared outside, as they shouted to each other between the thin walls of the tents.

But it finished as quickly as it started, the storm easing off, the heavy rain continuing.

"Are you all okay?" Matt yelled.

"We're fine!" Anna called back.

"Don't touch the sides of the tent!" Heath said in warning.

"We won't!"

* * *

Bec put her head on Edge's shoulder, as the rain thundered down, hitting the ground at an alarmingly fast pace. "Do you recon there's going to be an aftershock?"

"You make it sound like it's a tsunami". Edge chuckled at Bec's words, grinning at the brunette. "I think that's the last of the storm… but not the rain".

For the two most outdoorsy people of the group, the day had been perfect, as they wandered the bush, hiking up and down, chatting all the way. It reminded her of the task that she had Garry set for the new year of intakes, every January in Blue Water. They would pair up with enough water and snacks for the day, hiking with fifteen kilograms in backpacks. It was a way to test their endurance, and measure just how well they would fit into the scheme of the surfing academy.

Edge had laughed, the bush reminding them of their mini-triathlon that had been held when they were sixteen year olds. Bec had smacked him on the chest, remembering the downside of that day. Where Edge didn't return home, and they spent the night worried sick about his whereabouts, calling the SES and waiting impatiently. Bec, although she would never admit it, had been the most scared that night. She was the first to hug him, and the first to smack him and call him an idiot.

Somehow, neither of them expected their lives to have turned out the way they did.

There was a pause, as the rain started to die down.

"Come on, we better head back". Edge held his hand out to help Bec to her feet. "Or the others probably will call the SES".

"Or come out looking for us themselves". Bec laughed, accepting his hand.

The track had been tough on the way up, but upon the rain falling, had been even tougher. It was rocky and the dirt had made it hard to get a grip, but the mud had made it even slipperier.

"Careful", Edge warned her.

"I'm being just as careful as you", she retorted, but understood his concern. She had landed herself in hospital a total of three times in the year they spent together- the record, Simmo had announced as they said goodbye. She was just plain accident prone, she claimed, and Perri had laughed- the two roommates were the only ones out of the seven to find themselves in the emergency room (and Perri's was related to her diabetes).

Carefully taking a step, Edge announced that it was clear for Bec to step, but before he knew it, Bec had slid down on her side, landing slumped against a tree at the bottom.

"Oh my God- Bec!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Read and review, **  
**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Where the hell is Bec and Edge?" Perri wanted to know, as she emerged from the tent. "Matt, did they come back last night? Bec's not in our tent!"

"I don't know", Matt worried. He poked his head into the tent he had been sharing with the boys. "Heath! Get up!"

"What?" Heath said blearily. "Whassa matter?"

"We're going to get Bec and Edge".

"Where are they?"

"Wait for me", Fly called, hopping out of the tent with one shoe on, carrying the other.

"They'll be fine", Heath yawned, pulling out his sneakers and lacing them over his bare feet. "I mean, things like this have happened before, haven't they?"

"If you mean Bec climbing out of the boarding house at two in the morning and ending up sleeping outside, then yes, it has happened. But only at the boarding house. And then she would climb through the window so Simmo and Jilly and Deb wouldn't know and end up scaring the hell out of me". Perri shuddered a little, remembering the panic she would feel when she saw the fingertips on the windowsill. She would go to scream, and then Bec's face would appear, and Perri would end up falling onto the bed, breathing heavily.

"Someone's gotta stay here", Matt said, "Just in case",

"I'll stay", Anna volunteered- and ended up regretting it only moments later. While the other four set off in the direction Bec and Edge had the day before, she was left at their campsite. Sighing heavily, she picked up the book that Fly had spent her spare time flicking through, and without really reading it, she flipped through the pages. She painted her toenails with the bright red nail polish that Perri had packed *just in case, she had reasoned, when Bec looked at her incredulously), only to figure that the sand would stick to it, and Perri would squawk at her for letting the sand stick to it.

So she began to pace. Up and down, wearing footprints into the dirt, worrying about the whereabouts of her friends, and whether or not they would be brought back with the other four.

They weren't sixteen any more- and yet, it was like they were the same. Bec and Edge had always been the closest- although they both had fiery tempers. Matt had always been cool as a cucumber, and Heath was so chilled out he was almost asleep (the past few days they had noticed it more and more- Heath would disappear and by the time someone realised, he had just had a two hour power nap).

By the time she realised what she was doing, she had paced track into the dirt, her footprints crisscrossing over the prints her friends had left behind.

It felt like they had been gone hours- and she couldn't help the scenarios playing out in her head. Her mind was dancing around wildly, much like Bec's had the night that Edge hadn't returned home. That night, Anna and Fly had slipped into the room Bec and Perri shared, listening as the brunette tossed and turned, her mind not allowing her body to settle down and sleep.

* * *

"Oh my God!" Anna shrieked, as Edge came into view, the brunette riding on his back. "What happened?"

"Hey Annie", Bec said sheepishly, as Edge lowered her into a chair, wincing hugely.

"Where are the others?" Edge checked.

"Looking for you- Bec, what happened?" Anna panicked, wrapping her arms around the brunette.

"Anna, I love you, really, but please don't", Bec whimpered.

"What happened?" she repeated.

"So, we couldn't find either of them1" Matt bellowed- they all heard him before they saw him. "Anna, call the SES!"

"Calm down, she's right here!" Heath said cheerfully, poking his head through the bushes to the campsite.

"Where the hell have you been?" Matt wanted to know.

"Alright, so I'm gonna borrow the van and drive Bec to the hospital, I don't know what you guys are going to do..." Edge let his voice trail off, as Matt glared.

"Bec, this is all your fault".

"Me?" Bec squawked, as Anna dabbed at the blood-dirt mix on her forehead. "ow, Annie, don't do that... how is this my fault?"

He lifted her gently into the van, as Matt climbed into the front seat.

"Pile on in, guys", Fly said, sliding into the seat beside the brunette.

"It was always gonna be you, wasn't it Bec?" Perri said cheerfully, taking a seat in the van and buckling her seatbelt.

"Yeah". Bec's face was pale, but her cheeks had a red flush.


	10. Chapter 10

**Read and review,**  
**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

An hour later, Bec's swollen ankle had been wrapped, the cut to the side of her head had been thoroughly examined and her bruised ribs had been looked at. All with her friends by her side.

"I remember something like this happening about... nine years ago?" Perri's eyes twinkled, and Bec glared sheepishly. But she had been the one to end up in hospital, comatose with her head bearing staples.

"Thanks, Perri".

Heath glared around at the hospital room (they weren't going to discharge the brunette until the afternoon, just to be on the safe side), and made the executive decision. "Let's go home".

Anna smacked a kiss to his cheek, and Heath grinned.

So that night, they packed up what they could of their campsite, ready to head back to Blue Water the next morning. The seven of them were quiet, as they sat around the campfire that night, like they had done on their final day there, years ago. But instead of Simmo and Deb telling stories of the pro-circuit and past Solar Blue students, there was silence.

Maybe everything had changed.

But maybe nothing had.

* * *

The next morning, the laugh of the kookaburra woke them up again, and they crawled out of the tents, a heavy blanket of emotion setting over the campsite. As the tents and sleeping bags were rolled up, they packed them into the back of the van, glancing around at the again empty campsite.

"We'll be back", Fly promised, a grin on her face, as she slid open the van door, stepping into the edge to make sure the surfboards were tightly strapped to the roof.

"Absolutely", Anna agreed, as she climbed into the vehicle.

"Alrighty gang, lets get this show on the road!" Heath announced, climbing into the driver's seat. However, when Matt approached the car, he quite happily climbed into the backseat. "when the van breaks down, you'll get the blame".

"When the van breaks down Angus will pass out with excitement", Bec said, sounding a lot more cheerful that she had the day before. But instead of her place in the passenger side, she was sitting beside Fly, the blonde in the middle of Bec and Heath. Edge and Anna were sitting behind them, but everyone knew that their seating arrangements would be swapped around when they stopped for petrol.

They were on their way back to Blue Water.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the continued support through this story! Thanks very much to amandajbruce, SveaR, Emzi1996, tsttoain, DiamontsandPearls, rubyangellove, NCISchick, the_true_elec, BigTimeGleekBTR, and of course the beautiful claudia. smith for all the reviews you've left me! I appreciate it so much!**

**There will be a third part to this trilogy- I don't know when it will be posted, but I will let everyone know. There's no name yet, but the first chapters are written. **

**Thanks again for all the support, I'm sorry the chapters were so far apart!**

**All the best, and please leave me one final review, **

**Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

The drive back to the boarding house in Blue Water was long- seven and a half hours, with four different stops (none to vomit on the side of the road, Heath had said cheerfully- and edge had smacked his chest indignantly). But they were back. their holiday mood had gone, slowly, over the drive. Perri sang along softly with the radio, Anna and Edge talking animatedly in the back seat. Fly fell asleep with her head on Heath's shoulder, and Bec leaned against the window, contemplating everything that had happened.

It had been the getaway of a lifetime- the thing they all needed before a new work year. an escape with their closest friends, relaxing before the chaos the new year would bring arose.

So much time had passed since they were the sixteen year olds sharing bedrooms, sharing bathrooms and sharing lives in the big boarding house in Blue Water. It had been years since Heath would make up words in their Tuesday night Scrabble game, not understanding that 'shaboodle' was not a world, no matter how many times he was told, years since Bec and Perri would race for the girls bathroom every single morning and night, the boys placing bets on who would end up killing who. Years since Anna would dance around the house, German hip-hop blasting through her headphones. Years since Edge and Bec would make bets while cooking dinner- ending up with charcoal sausages or inedible potatoes or the infamous 'spaghetti bolognese without the spaghetti'. Years since cool as a cucumber Matt would stay up until all hours of the night, patiently guiding them through the homework and assignments they had left until the last minute. Years since Perri was deemed the 'Gold Coast fairy princess'- a nickname that had stuck.

Years since they first stepped into the Solar Blue boarding house, an event that had changed their lives for the better.

They were still the same people, in their hearts. When they got together, it was like they'd never changed. Sweet innocent Fly, Gold Coast fairy princess Perri, feisty local flower Bec, German sweetheart Anna, carefree Heath, rebel Edge and cool as a cucumber Matt. When they got together, they were the same sixteen year olds they had been years earlier.

At five years old, your best friend is the person who shares their crayons with you, their name slipping from your memory as you grew up. As teenagers, the person who told your crush that you liked them was your sworn enemy, holding a grudge against them until you forgot their name. Friendships could strike at the oddest of times, and it was those friendships that were the ones that meant the most.

Some friendships last moments, some lasted decades. And then there were the ones that were able to survive the boundaries of time, the ones there for you when the rest of the world walks out.

That night, the seven that had been the Solar Blue class of 2005 fell asleep in the lounge room, their limbs tangled together, much like they had done so many times after midnight movies.

Their friendship had been one that had survived the boundaries of time- Solar Blue was their home, where they belonged. As long as they lived, they could return to the big boarding house and find themselves surrounded by friends.

Solar Blue Boarding Academy was their home.

**I wrote your name into the sand but the waves washed it away.  
****I wrote your name in the sky but the wind blew it away  
****So I wrote your name in my heart, and forever it will stay  
****-Unknown Author**


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